Lift mechanism



J. A. KWAKE LIFT MECHANISM July 4, 1933.

2 Sheecs-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1952 o L o 1 m, N @N1 uN/1 Mm. 11 11 RV 11111 1 W1111 lllllllll |1H -1I1111I11IIII|UWU|I|| 11 1 1 hm lllll 1111111 1 l. .u um. 1L V;V ,N V 1 01M O 11110 1111 1| 11 v 1 H n h l1 1 1-1 July 4, 1933.

J. A. KWAKE LIFT MECHANI SM Filed Oct. l5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FFE! TT'f

"Patented July 4, 1933 `ururlan STATES `mrlazNr oFFICE" JosEIH A. KWAKE, or CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR To CAME-I. COMPANY, or"

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS LIFT MECHANISM Application filed October 13, 17932.' .Serial No. 637,584.

This invention krelates to improvements in lift mechanisms.

It is'an object of this invention to provide liftmechanisms-for slidingdoors for railway house cars `characterized by greater simplicity of. construction, i reduction* in weight, fewer parts and. less fabrication than lift vmechanisms of the same general type.

This object, aswell as those which will later appear, areattaine'd by the novel strucv,ture and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out Vand defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure lis a fragmentary front elevation of a railway house car having a sliding lift door thereon employing a preferred embodiment of the inventionthe door being illustrated in lowered position Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the door in elevated position; l

Figure 3 is a vertical sectionl taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a lhorizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1; l,

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, illustrate details of the cams used in the lift mechanism;

Figure 9 is an `elevation of an integral operating lever and cam; and

- Figure 1() is an endelevation of the structure shown in Figure 9, looking toward the right. n

Tteferring to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures ofthe drawings, there is shown a door 10 mounted for sliding movement upon a railway house car, the siding 11 vand side sill y12 of said carv being fragmentarily shownin Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The door 1() is illustrated as being formed of metal and provided with a plurality of lhorizontal rcorrugations 13 which preferably merge at their opposite ends into vertical corrugations 14 and 15 formed in the door adjacent the vertical margins thereof; 'The horizontal corrugation adjacentthe bottom edge of the door is interrupted at spaced points so as to provide relatively {iatportions 16l and 17 to which bracket members 18 and. 19 are secured. In

of Athe-*instant invention is utilized.

itsy normal orlowered position the ldoor isv adapted to be supported upon-.a track 20 secured to .theside `sill 12 by means of a plu-l rality of tracktbrackets 21, oneof which is shown partially in Figure 3'of the drawings. With reference to this ligure of the drawings it will be seen that the lower edge of the door 1s provided Withfan angle member 22 and the engagement of the door in its normal position is effectedfby engagement between them horizontal yflange of the angle member and .the track. The track 20 takes the form of an' angle member positionedwithone of its Vlegs 23 extending downwardly for cooperation with upwardly extending flanges v24 pro` 55 vided on thebracket members 18 and 19to prevent ldisengagement of the.` bottom portion ofthe doorfrom the track. It is. tobe understood that the structure of the door and of the track are not limited to those shown'(0 in the drawings and that the invention may readily be utilized with doors and tracks having structures other than that illustrated.

It is contemplated that .when it is desired to move the door toward open or=closed posi- 'I5 tions the door be supported upon antifriction means. For this purpose the lift mechanism This mechanism Vembodies an operating lever 25, the lowerA end of which is formed so as t080 provide, integral with saidlever, a vcam por-- tion 26. With particular reference to Figures 9. and 10 of the drawings it will be seen that the cam'portion 26 is provided with an integral shouldered stud 27 extending 85 from one-,side thereof in spaced relation to v simil-arly extending lug 28. On the opposite side of said cam portion a trunnion 29 is provided. vThe stu/d 27 has fastened thereto a cam 30. The cam 30 is slid upon the free 00 end` of the stud 27 until it engagesthe shoulder 31 provided on said camvand Afastening of the cam upon the stud is obtained preferf ablyby upsettingthe free end of the stud.

The cam 30k is maintained upon the stud 95 f against `rotation relative thereto by engagement with the flat sides 32 and 33 of the stud provided in the formation of the shoulder A trunnion .34 is provided upon the cam 30 and in its assembly with the lever 25 extends oppositely from and in alignment with the trunnion 29 provided on the lever. The stud 27, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, provides anaxlevfor a roller 35 which carries a cage 36 providing a raceway for a plurality of roller bearings 37 mounted within said cage and upon a bushing38 secured uponthe stud. The level', the cam and the roller are adapted to be pivotally retained upon the door by means of the bracket 19. The trunnion 29- provided on the lever is received for this purpose within a i5 bearing 39 formed in the cover portion 40 t'of the'bracket kwhile the trunnion 34 formed yonthe cam 30is received Within lan aligned *bearing 41 formed in thebacking portion 42 off the bracket. It is to be observed that the -stud'2'7 upon which'the roller 35 is mounted l'lies Vin offset relationship to the trunnions '29 and 34.

v'A-somewhat similar lifting mechanism is `mounted within the bracket member 18 se- 25eured to the door in spaced relation to the 'bracket member 19. vIn this mechanism a cam identical with the cam 30 hereinabove 'described is utilized. "This cam is fastened upon a shouldered stud 43 extending integral- 'ly from a cam 44 Ain the manner described 'for the mounting of the cam 30 upon the vstud 27 provided on the operating lever. The cam 44 is formed with a lug 45 spaced from andextending inthe same direction as the stud 43 and a trunnion 46 extending' from the vopposite :face of the cam. A roller 47 is mounted upon the stud 43and, ashereinbefore described, is provided with a raceway within `which 'roller bearings are received. The roller bearings are adapted to ride upon a bushing whichfis mounted on the stud. The assembly of the cams and roller 47 is adapted to be housed within the'bracket member 18 v"with-the trunnions provided on the cams jour- '45 4naledA in corresponding bearings provided in lthe. cover and backing'portion ofthe bracket y member.`

Inasmuch as the cam 44 is not provided Tvwith an operatinglever thelift mechanism 50 f of which the cam 44 constitutes a part is operated bythe lever 25. This operation is effected by means of Lan actuatinglbar 48 engage'd with-the -camsQ and 44 by'means of K the extension of the lugs 28 and 45,*respec- C5 tively,-through corresponding openings prov ided adjacent the ends of said bar. The actuating bar 48, las clearly shown in Figure 3 of the/drawings, is substantially Z-shaped .in section. The lower flange 49'of said bar adjacent the ends thereof is cut away as indicated at 50 and 51 so as to avoid interference `with `thebracket members '18 and"19 in the operation of the bar.

v The operating lever, as appears from Fig-v l ure 1 of'tliedrawings, extends through an opening preferably providedv in the side of the bracket member 19 and in the normal position of the door extends upwardly in spaced substantially parallel relationship to the door. The upper end of the lever is fashioned to form a hand grip as indicated at 52 and the portions of the horizontal coi'- rugations 13 lying in the path of movement sition and it is desired to move the doortor ward open position thehand grip of-'the lever is grasped and thelever depressed fromithew position shown in Figure A1 ofthe drawings" to that indicated in F igu'reQ ofthe drawings. During this movement offthelever the lower end thereof will'fulcrum upon' theroller 35 and the triinnions `29'and34 providedh respectively, upon the lower end'of thelever and upon Vthe camg will move upwardly and 'through their engagement `with 'the bracket member 19 fastenedtoth'e door will efl'ect elevation of the door.

by means of the actuating bar 48 toithe corresponding cams journaled in the bracket member 118 whereby these cams' willfulcriim upon the roller 47 and through theengagement between the trunnions 34 and 46'with the bracket memberlS effect elevation ofthe door. lnthis position'the dooris elevated above the track and its weightis supported upon the rollers and 47 so that movement of the door toward open position may be had. This movement. may be made easier by grasping` the fixed handle 57 provided adjacent the front edge ofthe door.

It will be apparent that'numerousI changes,I and modiiications in the details of the. preferr-ed embodiment of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. ',Itf is intended, therefore, that all such changes and modifications he comprehended: within i this invention. which is to be Alimited only by the scope ofthe appended claims; I claim: y 1. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door normally seated upon said track, in i combination with a plurality of spaced roll ers resting upon saidtrack, means for mounting each of said rollers-upon said door comprising a pair of cams, a stud connecting `said cams in spaced relation,a rollerfmounted upon said stud and spacedv bracket members secured to said door, saidy cams beingjournaled in said members in offset lrelationship to said studs, means connecting certain-of the cams of each roller, and lever means'ifo'r The movement A of the operating lever 25 willbetransmitted operating one of said cams to elevate said door for support upon said rollers.

2. In combination, a sliding door, atrack,f

said door normally resting upon saidtrack, and means for elevating said door above said track for sliding movement comprising a pluralityk ofk rollers engaging said track,'a plurality of cams for each-roller positioned on opposite sides thereof, astud' extending from one of said cams and secured to the other of saidfcams, saidvstuds constituting the axles for said rollers, and means comprising trunnions for pivotally mounting said cams upon said door, said trunnions lying in offset relationship to said studs.

3. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door normally seated upon said track, in combination' with a plurality of spaced rollers having rolling engagement with` said track, a plurality of cams for each ofsaid4 rollers, an integral shouldered stud projecting from one of said cams, said studs securing said cams in spaced relation and providing axles for said rollers, means connecting cer'- tain of thecams of each roller, means pivotally connecting saidcams to saiddoor in offset relationship to said-studs and means forV operating onevof said cams to elevate said door upon said rollers.

4. In ameychanism ofthe characterdescribed, an operating lever, an integral stud extending from said lever adjacent one end n thereof, a cam fastened 'upon said stud 1n spaced relation to said lever, a roller mounted upon said Stud, and means comprising trunnions for pivotally mounting said lever and said cam upon said door, said trunnions being offset relative to said stud.

5. In a lift mechanism for a sliding door, a bracket adapted to be secured to said door,

` an operating lever, an integral stud extendying from said lever adjacent one end thereof, a cam fastened upon said stud in spaced relation to said lever, a roller mounted upon said stud, and y means comprising trunnions for pivotally mounting said end of said lever and said cam within said bracket, said trun- A mounted upon said stud, means comprising trunnions for pivotally mounting'saidlever and said cam upon the door, said trunnionsl being offset relative to said stud, land a second lifting mechanism mounted upon said door in spaced relation to said first lifting mechanism, said lever beingprovided withva lug adjacent one end thereof ladapted to engage an actuating bar` connected to said second lifting mechanism for imparting movement thereto. e

7. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door normally seated upon said track`,.in v

combination with a lifting mechanism comj vprising an operating lever, an integral stud lextending from said lever adjacent one end thereof, "a camv fastened upon'said stud in spaced relation tosaid lever, a roller mounted upon said stud, means .comprisingtrun-l nism, said leven being provided with a lug adjacent one end thereof adapted to engage an actuating bar, said second lifting mechanism including a cam having a lug engaging said bar. f

8. In la railway house car, a track, a sliding door normally/'seated upon said track, in combination with a plurality of spaced vrollers resting vuponsaid track, vmeans for mounting eachof said rollers upon said door comprising a pair of cams, a stud connecting said cams in spaced relation, a roller mounted upon said stud and spaced brackets secured to Vsaid door, saidcams being journaled in said members in offset relation to said studs, means connecting certain of the cams of each roller andl lever means hav- ,ing one end positioned in a bracket member v for operating one of said cams to elevatesaid door for support upon said rollers. v

9. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door normally seated upon said track, in combination with -aplurality of spacedr'ollers resting upon said track, means for mounting each .of.-said rollers upon said door comprising a pair of cams, a stud connecting said cams in spaced relation, a. roller mounted upon said ystud and spaced bracket members secured to said door, said cams being journaled inisaid membersgin offset relation to said studs, means connecting certain o-f the cams of each roller and lever means integral with one of said cams and extending through an opening provided in a bracket member for operating said cam to elevate saiddoor for support upon the rollers.

ASigned.v at Chicago, Illinois, this 28 day of September, 1932.

f JOSEPH A. KWAKE. 

